Can opener



- Nov. 13 1923.

T. L. CROOM o CAN OPENER Filed Aug. 30, 1921 INVENT'OR: THOMAS L. G ROOM,

Patented Nov. 13, 1923.

THOI'EAS L. GROGltZ, DE LOS ANGELES, CALIFGENZA, ASS -:WTOE ONE-HALF T C. C.

PLENEY, O1 LOS ANGELEE, GALZFURNI.

CAN

OPENER.

Application filed August 30, 1921. Serial No. 498,8t1.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS L. Green, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los llngeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Can Opener, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for open in cans made of sheet metal.

One or" the objects or" this invention is to provide a cutting member pivotally con nected to a handle.

Another object is to provide a cutting, member with a cutting edge projecting side- 5 wise from one of the flat sides oi? the cutting member and providing the fiat body portion of the cutting member with an aperture for a pivot connection to support the cutting member swingably in a plane parallel to the flat sides of the cutting member.

Another object is to provide a pivotally connected cutting member with a handle, the edges of the pivotally connected end of the handle being roughened or knurled crosswise to the swinging movement of the cutting member in relation to the handle.

Another object is to design a device or" this type to be manufactured at a low cost but durable.

ihIlO'tllOl object is to provide a device in which the cutting member may easily be exchanged.

Other objects will appear from the followinn,- description and appended claim as well as from the accompanying drawing, in

which- Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the device in the simplest form.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the device as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section through the handle p012 tion on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4; is a section through the pivot connection of the handle and cutting member, in a slightly modified form, extra knurled washers being inserted between the handle and the cutting member.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of one of the knurled Washers.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to the illustration in Fi 4 of a still more slightly modified form.

Fig. 7 is atop plan view of the pivot end of the handle of a slightly modified form to be used in connection with the knurled washers.

Can openers are normally punched into the top of a can near the edge and then operatcd to sever a suitable portion of the top from the can.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the cutting blade 8 is formed and provided to be punched into the material of a can. This cutting blade 8 projects sidewise from the main body 9 oi the cutting member. The cutting member is pivotall enga ed at 10 with the end 11 of the handle 12. The handle is preferably made of sheet metal. so that two halves may be placed together to form smooth out-- side. The opposing edges of tho halves near the end 11 are reduced height, as indicated at 18 in Fig. 2-. to form a space tor the cutting membe. for swingably engaging between the halves oi"? the handle in the end 11. A screw 14 is illustrated to connect the halves. of the handle in the tree end or" the handle.

For cutting or opening a can, the cutting member of this device is inserted into the cover or top of the can near the edge so that the cutting edge of the blade 8 points in the direction along the edge of the can. The handle 12 is then moved and pressed in the direction of the arrow 15 towards the can. A pressing of the free end of the handle 12 in the direction of the arrow 15 causes also a pressing of the end 11 of the handle against the edge of the can. The edges 16 of the end 11 are preferably roughened or teethed so as to engage with the edge of the can when so pressed against the can. The friction between the roughened edges 16 of the end 11 of the handle 12 is suiiicient to draw the cutting member along; the edge of the can thereby cutting and opening the can. On moving; and swinging the free end of the handle in the direction oi the arrow 17, that is, away from the can, the end 11 of the handle is normally also moved away from the edge of thecan thereby treeing the roughened edges 16 from he edge of the can so that the free end of the handle can be swung in the direction of the arrow 17 without any resistance. As soon as the movement of the handle is reversed, however, to move in the direction of the arrow 15 towards the can, the edges 16 again engage with the edge of the can, so that the edges 16 practically roll along the outside of the edge of the can while the cutting blade 8 is forced to cut through the top along the edge of the can.

Being of sheet metal, the handle is preterably recessed, as indicated a 18 in Figs. 2 and 3, so that the screws do not project beyond the contour of the handle.

Instead of roughening the end 11 of the handle, roughened or knurled washers 19 are placed between the halves in the end 11 in the slightly modified forms illustrated in Figs. 4 and 6.

A washer 19 is illustrated in detail in Fig. 5, having the roughened, knurled, or teethed edges 20. A. pin 21 is indicated to be engaged with the handle end 11 so as to prevent the washer from turning within the handle end. The engaging means may, of course, be reversed, so as to show a perforation in the washer to engage with a suit able piece or member on the handle end.

In Fig. 7, the handle end 11 is provided with number of perforations 22, so as to allow a changing of the washers in relation to the handle end 11, which is 01": advantage since the washers are normally only used a short distance at a time, according to the swinging movement 01 the handle.

The impressions 18 in the free end of the handle are illustrated so that the inner faces ot the halves touch, so as to make a spotwelding of the handle at this point possible.

In Fig. 6, impressions 23 are illustrated near the end 11 sidewise of the washers so as to also make a spot-welding of the handle possible at the end 11. ihe handle end ll is in this case provided with the double--..

shouldered pivot 24: instead of the screw.

From the above it will be understood that I do not limit myself to any specific design or construction and that the device may be slightly modified in various ways without departing from the principles disclosed by this invention in the foregoing specification and appended claim. 7

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim: 7

in a can opener, a handle member made of sheet metal having its longitudinal edges and narrower terminations rolled in so as to meet the ec ges of a second similarly stamped member, the endwise facing surface of the material of the rolled-in edges in one termination being roughened in the stamping to form engaging teeth or a width greater than the thickness of the material in the assembled can opener.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention 1 have signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS L. CROOM.

Witnesses:

O. H. KRUEGER, Jnssrn A. M NooK. 

